January 10, 2010, 1:25AM

Thank you for printing Amy Scheuring’s op- ed, “Proposals for sex ed are stuck in the ¤’80s,” (Jan. 3). It was the first commonsense commentary The Patriot-News has printed on the subject since the legislation began. If, as Ms. Scheuring points out, 70 percent of pregnant teens were using birth control when they became pregnant, then legislation pushing birth control... Full story »

December 27, 2009, 1:01AM

Everyone knows teenage girls are getting pregnant younger and younger, but I don't think they realize how many. In my experience, I've known at least 20 girls who were pregnant within the last year, and I do agree preaching about abstinence isn't going to get anywhere. My parents have never sat down and talked to me about sex, but I... Full story »

December 25, 2009, 1:01AM

I read Jan Murphy's article ("Rising teen pregnancy rates," Dec. 11) and am a bit frustrated by the lack of control some of our youth have toward sexual activity. Plus, the need for more sex ed classes seems a bit overdue. When I went to school in the 70s, sex education was a required course. Granted, by the time we... Full story »

August 23, 2009, 12:01AM

Better sex education in schools and organizations -- that's the goal of nine coalitions across the country that have received a special grant from the Centers for Disease Control. One of those groups -- the Pennsylvania Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy -- is reaching out to urban school districts in Harrisburg, York, Reading and Lancaster to implement science-based teen... Full story »

August 23, 2009, 12:01AM

Vivian Rivera is determined to break the cycle. Her mom had her when she was 18 and dropped out of school. Vivian was just 13 -- an eighth-grader -- when she became pregnant. Vivian looks at her 7-year-old daughter and says with resolve, "It stops here." Vivian, now 20, is enrolled in the ELECT (Education Leading to Employment and... Full story »

August 23, 2009, 12:00AM

Pregnant teens are nothing new, but the behaviors leading to it and society's attitude are surprising sexuality educators who have been working in the field for years. "Girls are getting more like boys in terms of their behavior and their attitudes about sex. They're getting to be more aggressive and more liberal," said Joe Fay, executive director of the Pennsylvania... Full story »